1 Nephi 19
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The first line in this chapter always hits me. "And it came to pass the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did..."
That was Nephi's mantra. I hope it's mine. I try to make it mine.
It breaks my heart to read of how the world treated the Savior. THEIR Savior. How could they turn Him away, and worse yet, turn on Him and crucify Him? And yet, they felt so righteous, so justified. it makes me angry. They
I guess it all comes down to how well we see Him, and how well do we follow Him.
That's Nephi's whole purpose: to persuade his family- and us - to remember Him (18.) Nephi knew that only through firm faith and total obedience could he be saved.
That's why he so fervently and repeatedly implored Laman and Lemuel to repent and come to Christ. In the end, they just didn't. They were prideful. They were critical. They blamed everyone else for their afflictions. They were unkind. They were partially obedient, but even then it was tainted by murmuring. These things hardened their hearts, until they became loathsome murderers. Granted, it was a gradual spiritual decay- but a very real one, nonetheless. And it started so innocently: with them complaining about something the Lord asked them to do.
QUESTION TO PONDER: Time for painful introspection: Ask yourself: Am I closer to the attitude of Nephi, or Laman and Lemuel?
The first line in this chapter always hits me. "And it came to pass the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did..."
That was Nephi's mantra. I hope it's mine. I try to make it mine.
It breaks my heart to read of how the world treated the Savior. THEIR Savior. How could they turn Him away, and worse yet, turn on Him and crucify Him? And yet, they felt so righteous, so justified. it makes me angry. They
I guess it all comes down to how well we see Him, and how well do we follow Him.
That's Nephi's whole purpose: to persuade his family- and us - to remember Him (18.) Nephi knew that only through firm faith and total obedience could he be saved.
That's why he so fervently and repeatedly implored Laman and Lemuel to repent and come to Christ. In the end, they just didn't. They were prideful. They were critical. They blamed everyone else for their afflictions. They were unkind. They were partially obedient, but even then it was tainted by murmuring. These things hardened their hearts, until they became loathsome murderers. Granted, it was a gradual spiritual decay- but a very real one, nonetheless. And it started so innocently: with them complaining about something the Lord asked them to do.
QUESTION TO PONDER: Time for painful introspection: Ask yourself: Am I closer to the attitude of Nephi, or Laman and Lemuel?
Nephi was obedient in writing on the plates. He didn't know why necessarily at first. But he realized it was for a wise purpose known only to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteHow many times do we have the opportunity to be obedient, even though we don't know why we are being asked to do it.... only to find out later that the Lord had a bigger design in mind.
I know that has happened too often to count in my life! I appreciate the opportunities to be obedient, even when I don't understand why I am diong soemthing. By being obedient to the promptings, I have been blessed with more instruction. Guidance is one of the biggest requests I make of my Heavenly Father, but I know to get it, I have to be obedient to the promptings.
I love vs 23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the abooks of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet bIsaiah; for I did cliken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our dprofit and learning.
ReplyDeleteNephi used the scriptures and inspiration from God (and himself as the Lord's modern prophet) to teach his family. He sets the example for us to use the scriptures and words of the prophets.
I also love vs 12,And the crocks of the earth must rend; and because of the groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.
This testifies of God, as the Creator of All, connection to his creations; the earth, all of nature and even us! Of course I look for references in the scriptures to nature because of my connection to it and the spirituality it brings into my life.
Question/Answer: Sometimes I am more like Nephi and I strive to be like him daily, but other times, when I have been sick, for instance, I whine & complain...wo is me. Thank goodness for the fullness of the gospel with the atonement, that I can be acceptable to Christ.
I think the biggest thing I've learned in reading the first book of Nephi this time around is how much communion there was between him and deity. He received so many commandments from them.
ReplyDeleteI wrote in my scriptures, "What commandments do I receive, and from what sources?" Initial thoughts were my patriarchal blessing, General Conference, the whisperings of the spirit, local leaders.